Coin meter with set cycle



Jan. 22, 1952 H. GREENWALD 2,583,332

COIN METER WITH SET CYCLE Filed March 7, 1950 ATTORIEY Patented Jen. 22, 1952 COIN METER WITH SET CYCLE Harry Greenwald, Blauvelt, N. Y., aligner to Beben ornoration. New York. N. Y., a corporation of New York appunti-1 mms '1, 195o, semi No. 14am This invention relates" in new and useiul improvements in coin meters with set cycles. These meters are generally used on any circuit or appliance where a. reset feature and a. time change by the operator is not required.

The dominating object; of this invention resides in the construction et a coin meter with a set cycle. which is exceptionally simple and which may be manufactured at a low price. II: is proposed to characterise this new meter by a clock driven switch cam provided with a'plurality of openings for pins each one of which selectively lifts an operator of a switch for stopping an electric circuit. 4Said .switch is mounted on a Amovable `member capable et assuming a forward and a back Position, and said movable ,member is .associated with coin operated means for moving said movable member to a back iposition Vfor a coin passing -tlnough the meter in order to move said operator selectively o' of a lifting -pin so as to restart a cycle. This oonstruction is exceptionally simple, and its operation is simple, in that each pin merely lifts the switch operator for opening the switch, and each coin moves the movable member, and in this A way moves the operator eil a pin so that the switch closes `and starts a new time cycle.

For further comprehension of the invention. and of the objects and advantages thereof.. reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, and to the appended claims in which ther various novel features of the invention are more particularly set lforth.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. '1 is a fragmentary front view of a coin meter with a fixed cycle constructed in accordance with this `invention and illustrated with the `front cover removed so that the interior parts may ,be seen.

Pig. 2 is a plan view of the works of the meter shown in Fig. 1.

3 is a sectional view at the works o! the meter, this view being taken on the line l--S of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a schematic wiring diagram of the meter and an appliance which is operated by the meter.

The coin meter, in accordance with this invention, includes a casing I0 having. a coin slot I I, A support;-,|2 is mounted withinv thecasing I0 with several screws I3. This support I2 is provided with a coin chute I l aligned with said coin slot II. so that when a coin is, dropped through they slot II it enters and passes through 3 Claima- (Cl. 181-4) the chute Il. The coin then `falls down into a ooin drawer, not illustrated on the drawing. The cover of the casing` I0 is also not shown.

A movable member I8 -is movably mounted upon the support I2 to move back and forth. More specifically, the movable member IB comprises a plate pivotally supported at a top corner upon a pintle I'I mounted on and projecting from the support I2. The support I2 comprises a back plate I8 and a front plate I9 spaced from the back plate with spacing strips 20. These plates are ,ioincd together as a unit with rivets 2|.

A switch cam 28 oi' insulation material is turnably mounted upon the support 12. More specifically, the switch cam 23 is inthe form of an insulation :disc which is mounted on a shaft 2l extending through the plate I8 and connected with a clock drive 25 having an electric clock 2.6. The switch cam 23 is provided with a plurality Aof openings 21 along its periphery for pins 2l to selectively yoperate a switch 20.

The switch 29 controls an electric circuit n. The switch 2i is mounted onsaid movable membei' H. Said switch .2l is provided with an operator 32 extendi to a position .adjacent the cani 23 for opening the switch 29 for opening the circuit il when said operator 32 is lifted from its normal position by one of said pins. Theoperator 82 is in the lnature of a lead spring which may be iiexed upwards. It supports a curved spring 88 which is connected with a flexible arm 34 provided with a contact cooperative with a contact on a stationary arm 35,. The switch 20 is illustrated in its closed position. When the operator 32 lis moved upwards by a pin 28 (the switch cam 23 turns counter-clockwise) the arm 8l will be `ileiced downwards and in this way separates the contacts of said switch 29.

lheelectrlo clock 28 is connected in series with the switch 2l. VAn appliance 31 or other device to be eoniloliedfby the meter, is shunted acres the clock 2|.

Riemevebie member It E with resilient means for moving it into its front position, in which position said pins 28 may selectively engage and lift said operator 32. This front position is controlled by a stop pin 38 projecting from the support I2 and limiting movement o! the movable member IB towards the left. A tension spring 39 is mounted between the stop 3l and a pin 40. mounted on the movable member I0 by whichl the movable member I8 is urged towards the left to its front position.

The movablemember I6 is also associated with coin operated means to move it to its back positions, towards the right, for each coin passing said chute I4 in order to move the operator 32 free from one of said pins 28 which lifted it so that the operator 32 may drop back to its normal position to start a new cycle. This coin operated means includes said pin 40 which extends through an opening 4l in the support I2 so as to extend into the chute I4. A disc 42 is turnably mounted at its center upon a pintle 43 mounted on the support I2. A plunger 44 is eccentrically connected with the disc 42 and extends upwards and out through the top of the casing I0.. .The disc 42 is resiliently urged into a neutral position by a tension spring 45 which is vconnected, with a pin 46 on the disc 42 and with'a pin 41 on the support I2. The disc 42 is also provided with a pin 48 which extends through an Yarcuate slot. 49

lifted a certain amount the cycle will be completed and the switch 29 will again open. This opens the circuit 30 and the clock 26 and the appliance 31 stops operating. A new coin must now be inserted in the meter to restart operation of the clock 26 and the appliance 31, and in this way the operation can be repeated. In this meter a coin must not be dropped into the meter before a cycle is iinished, because the coin will merely be lost as the operator 32 will not drop olf a lifting pin 28 unless said pin 28 is in a position in which the cycle is completed.

formed in the support I2 so as to extend through the chute I4. One sideof the chute I4 is'provided with a curved projecting member 50 around which a. coin passing through the chute-.I4 may travel so that the coinv moves towards the right against the pin 40 to move the movablefmember I6 towards the right. The chute I4 is provided with a recess 52 directly across the curved projecting member 50 to make roomfor the coin topass.

The operation of the coin meter may be understood from the following: p

Any number of pins 28 maybe placed in the openings 21 in order to have the meter operate for preselected times. These pins 28 may be equally spaced from leach other or may be placed at unequal distances, as may be desired. ior'aniy particular operation of the meter.

The user drops a coin through'the slot I I which then falls downwards throughthe chute I4 'and assumes a position of rest upon the pin 48. The user of the meter now depresses the plunger 44 so that the disc 42 is lturned to cause the pin 4B to travel upwards along the arcuate slot 49. The coin is slightly lifted by the pin '48 and then is dropped so that it comes to restA on the projecting member 50.' Now the'plunger 44 is released and the spring 45 will turn the disc 42 back ro its normal position. When the disc 42 turns back'. the pin 48 will force the coin against the' pin 40 and then will fall down through the chute I4. The coin discharges into a coin receiving box, not shown. y

However, when the pin 40 was moved towards the right, the movable member I6 was correspondingly moved so that the operator 32 is moved ofi the pin 28 which was `supporting it. vAfter the coin passes, the movable memberf I6' moves back to its front position because'the spring 39 moves it against the stop 38. The" operator 32 is now in its'normal 'position in'which the circuit 30 is again vclosed for` starting a new cycle. After a certain length of time the switch cam 23. which is driven by the clock 26, 'will reach a position in which another one ofthe pins 28 starts lifting the operator 32. When operator the 32 is While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent isf 1.' A coin meter with a set cycle, comprising a casing, a support mounted in Said casing, a movable member movably mounted on said support to move back and forth, a switch cam turnably mounted on said support, a Switch for controlling an electric circuit mounted on said movable member and having an operator extending to a position adjacent said cam for opening said circuit when lifted from normal position, pins on said switch cam for selectively lifting said operator to actuate said switch, clock means having an electric clock controlled by said circuit for driving said switch cam in order to engage said pins selectively with said operator to actuate said switch, resilient means for urging said movable memberfinto a'front position in which said pins may selectively engage and lift said operator, and means for moving said movable member to a back position for moving said operator free from a pin which lifted it at the end of a cycle so that it may drop to normal position.

2. A coin meter, as defined in claim l., in which said switch cam has a plurality of openings for selectively receiving said pins.

3. A coin meter as defined in claim 1, in which said resilient means comprises a spring acting between said movable member and said support.

HARRY GREENWALD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATESl PATENTS 

